Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim electronic copies of this text of this screenplay for non-commercial purposes provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. This screenplay has not yet been produced nor published in paper form. For a copy in standard script format, contact the author: Richard Seltzer, PO Box 320-161., West Roxbury, MA 02132. 617-469-2269 seltzer@samizdat.com
This script in standard movie script format, as a Word document.
The full
text of the novel from which this comes -- Sandcastles -- is also available
online.
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY - DAY
IRENE and CHARLIE, a young married couple, are in the front seat of their car. CHARLIE is driving. They've been on the highway for a long time; traffic is heavy, and they are getting skittish.
CHARLIE
Driving, driving, driving -- it's all so unreal.
IRENE
What, dear?
CHARLIE
It's unreal, I tell you. We're sitting here like we're in our livingroom
and things just go by.
IRENE
Just drive, dear. We'll have plenty of time to think when we get there.
You know how distracted you can get. Just keep your mind on the road.
CHARLIE
But the world looks so two-dimensional and fuzzy through the windshield.
IRENE
Well, if you'd wash the windshield, Charlie.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #2 ON THE SAME HIGHWAY - DAY
MARY and ED, another young married couple, are going down the same highway, with ED in the driver's seat.
MARY
Dear, where are we going?
ED
Don't you know? I thought it was your idea.
MARY
No, it was your idea. I remember distinctly. We were at breakfast.
You were reading your newspaper. I was listening to the news on the radio,
and Tommy had just dropped the Wheaties all over the floor.
ED
Yes, dear, but what did I say? Where did I say we were going?
MARY
Oh, I don't remember that.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY - DAY
RALPH and AL, middle-aged business men, are driving side by side, each alone in a convertible. After they've been close to one another for some time, they start talk to one another, shouting above the noise of the traffic.
RALPH
(shouts)
Man what a view.
AL
(shouts)
What view? There's nothing but cars and cars and more cars.
RALPH
(shouts)
Yeah, man, ain't it beautiful. Just look at all them cars. I've never
seen so many cars in all my life.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 - DAY
IRENE
You look tired, dear. Do you want me to take over?
CHARLIE
That's fine with me, but there's no way we can stop in all this traffic.
It's unreal how much traffic there is. Where can they all be going?
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #2 - DAY
MARY
Where are we going, dear?
ED
I just told you I don't know.
MARY
Then why are we going there?
ED
Because we have no choice. There's no way we can stop or turn around
in all this traffic.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- DAY
Al waves and tries using signs to catch Ralph's attention and tell him to move; finally he gives up and shouts.
AL
(shouts)
Look, buddy, can you let me in your lane? My exit's coming up.
RALPH
(shouts)
Cool it, man, cool it. It's a beautiful day. Just look at all them
cars. That's a Rolls over there, isn't it? That red one?
AL
(shouts)
Look, buddy, my exit's coming up. We're pretty jammed up as it is.
The only way I'm going to get out of this...
RALPH
(shouts)
Like, crazy, man. I'd like to help, but this car won't slow down for
anybody. She's just driving herself.
AL
(shouts)
God, that was my exit. Thanks, buddy. Thanks loads. Now there's no
telling how long I'll be stuck on this damned highway.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 - DAY
CHARLIE
Is it my imagination, dear, or is the road getting wider?
IRENE
What was that, dear?
CHARLIE
Is it just me, or is the road getting wider? I can't see the side of
the road anymore. Just cars and cars and cars.
IRENE
And trucks. Just look at all those trucks. I'm sure it's just the trucks,
dear. They obscure the road, and they take up so much space. I hate driving
when there are trucks on the road.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - DAY
MARY
Where are we, dear?
ED
I wish I knew. I haven't seen a sign for hours. Can't say I've seen
anything but cars and highway for hours.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - DAY
Charlie is puzzled. He taps on the gas gauge before and while talking.
CHARLIE
Something's strange, dear. I know that something's strange. When we
started, the gas was on empty. I meant to fill up before we got to the
turnpike, but I forgot.
IRENE
Oh, no, you mean we're running out of gas?
CHARLIE
No, dear, I don't think so. But I wish we were.
IRENE
And why would you wish that on us?
CHARLIE
Look, we've been driving for hours on an empty tank. It doesn't make
sense. It isn't natural.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - DAY
Ed keeps looking at his feet, keeps moving his feet up and down on gas pedal, brake, and clutch. He grows increasingly frantic when the car doesn't respond.
Mary keeps looking out at traffic on all sides. She's upset too, but for a different reason. She doesn't seem to notice her husband's frantic foot motions.
MARY
Do something, Ed! Do something! Don't just sit there like a lump and
let this traffic hem us in. Here we are wherever we are, and we don't know
where we're going, and we've been going for hours on end. Do something.
This is insane.
ED
Yes, dear, yes. I've been trying to change lanes for so long it's ridiculous.
But that gas truck beside us slowed down when we slowed down and speeded
up when we speeded up.
MARY
Then stop. Just stop.
ED
I tried, dear. But I didn't want to alarm you. Now when I hit the brake,
but the car doesn't stop. It doesn't even slow down. I've been hitting
the brake, the clutch, the accelerator; but nothing happens. Somehow we
just keep going, staying even with the traffic around us.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- DAY
Al points to his wrist.
AL
(shouts)
Hey, buddy, have you got the time?
RALPH
(shouts)
Sorry, man, but my watch stopped.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
It's now dark outside, except for the headlights of cars and trucks. Charlie is spooked by the moving lights, and keeps ducking to avoid their beams.
CHARLIE
It's so dark. And those lights over there are racing at us. And these
lights all around us. It's eery.
IRENE
Calm down, Charlie. Calm down. Just pull yourself together. It's night.
There's a perfectly rational explanation for everything. The gas tank was
probably full, and the gauge is broken. Just take it easy. Slow down, and
try to pull over.
CHARLIE
But the car's driving itself. I'm not doing anything. I'm not even
steering it.
Charlie drops his arms to his sides. Irene shrieks, reaches for the wheel, falls across his lap. But nothing happens -- no crash, no change of direction even. Charlie helps her up, and she settles back in her seat -- numb and helpless and frightened.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - NIGHT
Ed's arms hang helplessly at his side. He is making no effort to control his car.
MARY: Where are we going, Ed? Where are we going?
ED: I don't know. I just don't know.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
CHARLIE
It's like we were on a rocketship, and there were thousands of other
rocketships just like ours, soaring through space on automatic pilot. Some
computer somewhere has set us on our course and set thousands of others
on exactly the same course and thousands more on the opposite course. And
here we are racing through space with our headlights bright like so many
stars or meteorites. We worry about where we're going and how we'll get
there; but it's all probably just a light show. The object isn't to get
anywhere at all. Somebody just wanted to see the lights.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- NIGHT
Ralph, smiling, raises his arms.
RALPH
shouts)
Man, this is the life. Just look at them lights, man, just look at
them lights.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
Charlie gestures, suddenly animated.
CHARLIE: Look at the lights, Irene. Aren't they beautiful? Look at all the lights.
FADE OUT:
THE END
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